Admirals Game Results

The Crunch scored three times before the Marlies got a shot on goal and limited the Marlies to two shots in the first 20 minutes. Toronto was able to capitalize on three power plays to cut its deficit to two, but Syracuse held on for an 8-5 win in Game 2 of the North Division Finals at the Onondaga County War Memorial Saturday.

Syracuse leads the series 2-0 as the series continues in Toronto Tuesday.

“I think tonight showed some of our best hockey and then later in the game maybe not some of our best,” Crunch forward Matthew Peca said. “Limiting a team to two shots is pretty good. It’s all a part of how well we started. We were hitting. We were shooting. We were keeping the puck in their zone. We just have to play in their end and we’ll be fine.”

Cory Conacher, Matthew Peca, and Michael Bournival were the game's three stars. There's little doubt this has been a veteran-heavy effort in the playoffs thus far, but it's good to see Matthew Peca having a good playoff run too, and he's now up to a point a game so far.

Syracuse did an excellent job to hold serve at home in Game One and Two, making sure that Toronto suffered properly for stubbing their toe in their regular season finale on the way to losing the North Division crown. That said, the old adage is still true: it's not a series until someone loses a game at home. Syracuse's challenge now is to win at least one game in the Marlies' barn with a view toward winning this series as quickly as possible in preparation for the colossal challenge that awaits if they can make it to the conference final.

Dealt at the deadline, Byron Froese had a chance to show what he could do against his former team.

Froese finished with a goal and an assist to lift the Syracuse Crunch over the Toronto Marlies, 3-1, in Game 1 of the North Division Finals at the Onondaga County War Memorial Friday. Game 2 is set for Saturday in Syracuse.

“It’s not personal, but you always want to play well against a team that traded you away, right?” Froese said. “I don’t think I left on bad trms at all, but it’s an exciting series and it’s a big series for us.”

Despite letting an early two-goal lead slip away, the Syracuse Crunch found a way to pull out a win.

Byron Froese scored with 3:55 left in the second period and the Crunch held the IceCaps off the board the rest of the way, as Syracuse beat St. Johns, 3-2, in the North Division Semifinals at the Onondaga County War Memorial Wednesday. Syracuse leads the series 2-1 and hosts Game 4 of the best-of-five series on Friday.

Crunch head coach Benoit Groulx knew the series would be a physical back-and-forth battle.

“It’s been like that since day one and we don’t expect anything different Friday,” he said. “It’s a hard-fought battle and we found a way to win, so it’s good.”

Mike McKenna, Byron Froese, and Erik Condra were the game's three stars, as the vets continue to lead the way. That said, it should be noted that Brett Howden continues to be a contributor for the club since coming on board late in the regular season.

In these shortened best-of-five opening round series, it's not necessarily a death sentence to fall behind 2-0 on the road, but it seriously puts the favorite behind the eight ball if they do. Syracuse faced that dire prospect tonight down 2 goals with 6 minutes to go in regulation, when the Crunch veterans decided to put their stamp on this game and quite possibly change the course of this series.

Crunchning Death Star finds it harder to destroy worlds in opening playoff tilt.

SYR-1
STJ-2

St. John's Leads the Series 1-0

Mike McKenna allowed 2 goals on 21 shots for the loss.

First Period
16:05 STJ Scherbak (1), (Hudon, de la Rose)(PP)

Second Period
2:59 STJ Terry (1), (Hudon)

Third Period
10:21 SYR McGinn (1), (Peca, Howden)(PP)

McKenna was the game's third star.

Seems like the 'ning part of the equation may need to be a little more assertive in Game Two. Among the cadre of forwards who returned from Tampa Bay at season's end, the Crunch got 0 shots on goal from Conacher and Vermin and just 1 shot on goal a piece from Dumont and Gourde. At this time of year, your best players need to be your best players.